The Mahamantra

Explanation of the Mahamantra

(1)

hare - he hare, mac-cittam hrtva bhava-bandhanan mocaya |

Hare! O Hari, steal my mind and deliver me from bondage to this material world.

krsna - he krsna, mac-cittam akarsaya |

Krsna! O Krsna, attract my mind.

hare - he hare, sva-madhuryena mac-cittah hara |

Hare! O Hari! Capture my mind with the sweetness of your name, form and pastimes.

krsna - he krsna, sva-bhakta-dvara bhajana-jnana-danena mac-cittam sodhaya |

Krsna! O Krsna! Send me the association of your devotees who will purify my mind through instructions about your devotional service.

krsna - he krsna, nama-rupa-guna-liladisu man-nistham kuru |

Krsna! O Krsna! Give me unflinching faith in your name, form, qualities and pastimes.

krsna - he krsna, rucir bhavatu me |

Krsna! O Krsna! Give me a taste for your name, form, qualities and pastimes.

hare - he hare, nija-seva-yogyam mam kuru |

Hare! O Hari! Make me worthy to engage in your service.

hare - he hare, sva-sevam adisaya |

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Order me personally in the service you wish me to perform.

hare - he hare, sva-presthena saha svabhista-lilam sravaya |

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Lord

rama - he rama, presthaya saha svabhista-lilam mam sravaya |

Rama! O Rama! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Radha.

hare - he hare, sva-presthena saha svabhista-lilam darsaya |

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Lord.

rama - he rama, presthaya saha svabhista-lilam mam darsaya |

Rama! O Rama! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Radha.

rama - he rama, nama-rupa-guna-lila-smaranadisu mam yojaya |

Rama! O Rama! Engage me in hearing, chanting and remembering your name, form, qualities, pastimes.

rama - he rama, tatra mam nija-seva-yogyam kuru |

Rama! O Rama! As I enter into those pastimes by the path of meditation, make me worthy to engage in your service.

hare - he hare, mam svangikrtya ramasva |

Hare! O Hari! Please accept me and take pleasure from the service that I offer you.

hare - he hare, maya saha ramasva |

Hare! O Hari! Take pleasure in me and enjoy with me.

(2)

hare - krsnasya mano haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! Radha is known as Hara because she steals Krsna's mind. I call out to her, O Hare! O Radhe!

krsna - radhaya manah karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

Krsna! The Lord is known as Krsna because he attracts Radha's mind. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

hare - krsnasya lokalajjadhairyadi sarvam haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! Radha steals Krsna's sense of public shame and his self-possession. She steals everything of his and is thus known as Hara. I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

krsna - radhaya lokalajjadhairyadi sarvam karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

Krsna! He drags away all of Radha's sense of shame and her self-possession. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

krsna - yatra yatra radha tisthati gacchati va tatra tatra sa pasyati krsno mam sprsati balat kancukadikam sarvam karsati haratiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

Krsna. Wherever Radha is standing, or wherever she happens to be going, she thinks, Krsna is watching me, he is touching me, he he is pulling on my bodice. He is pulling on me. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

krsna - punar harsatam gamayati vanam karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

Krsna! Then Krsna makes her feel a thrill of excitement as he pulls her to the woods. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

hare - yatra krsno gacchati tisthati va tatra tatra pasyati radha mamagre parsve sarvatra tisthatiti hara, tasyah sambodhane he hare

Hare! Wherever Krsna goes, wherever he is situated, he sees Radha in front of him, by his side, all around him. In this way she disturbs his mind. I call out to her, O Radhe. O Hare!

hare - punas tam krsnam harati sva-sthanam abhisarayatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

hare - krsnam vanam harati vanam agamayatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

rama - ramayati tam narma-niriksanadiniti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

Rama! Krsna is known as Rama because he brings Radha pleasure with his joking words and his loving glances. I thus call out to him, O Krsna! O Rama!

hare - tatkalikam dhairyavalambanadikam krsnasya haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! She robs Krsna of the momentary self-control he is able to muster in her presence. She is thus known as Hara, and so I call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

rama - cumbana-stana-karsanalinganadibhi ramate iti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

Rama! Krsna delights in kissing Radha, in touching her breasts and in embracing her. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

rama - punas tam purusocitam krtva ramayatiti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

Rama! Krsna causes Radha to reach the pinnacle of sexual excitement, so that she becomes aggressively active in the love battle, like a man. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

rama - punas tatra ramate iti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

Rama! All this brings extra delight to Krsna. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

hare - punah rasante krsnasya mano hrtva gacchatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

Hare! Once again, at the end of the Rasa dance, as she leaves to return home, she steals Krsna's mind and takes it away with her. She is thus known as Hara, and I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

hare - radhaya mano hrtva gacchatiti harih krsnah tasya sambodhane he hare |

Hare! Krsna also steals Radha's mind, taking it with him as he leaves. He is thus known as Hari, and I call out to him, O Krsna! O Hare!